Folded Copper Pendant

Just playing with the 24 gauge copper sheeting and folding it and dapping it until the little raised areas started to break away from the pendant but were still firmly attached.  Then I carefully raised them a bit for more texture.  I should call it 'The Hanging Chads' necklace!!  More beads from Beth Singleton.  I have so enjoyed working with them.

Silver and Copper Ringed Bracelet

I've been going back through my old Step by Step Wire magazines for some inspiration and found lots to interest me.  This bracelet started out by having to make fused fine silver rings which was a little bit of a challenge for me, since I haven't done any fusing or soldering in quite a while, and never got adept at it anyway.  But I managed but then ran out of the 14g fine silver.  I substituted some copper washers and just love the result.  These are all handmade lampwork beads, most of which are from the torch of Beth Singleton on etsy.  It's a fun and funky piece.

Copper Spiral Necklace

This was intended to be a bracelet, but the scale came out wrong, even though I slavishly followed the directions.   I liked where it was going though, and just continued on until it was done.   The beads are from the daughter-in-law of a spinner friend and were bought from her etsy shop  http://www.etsy.com/shop/bethsingleton.  They are oh, so, lovely and are beautifully made.

I used 16 and 18 gauge raw copper to make this lovely piece.  The directions are in the latest copy of Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine.

More Earrings

I've been having lots of fun making earrings today.  The copper ones are inspired by Sally Stevens, one of my favorite wire artists. I used 18 g copper wire throughout, even for the ear wires.  In my opinion, 20 g does not hold up well enough for hard use.

Copper Scrolls and Green Bead Necklace

My new workbench is lovely and I have moved it into a different room in the basement.  I'm much happier now with its location, and to celebrate my new space, I created this necklace from 16, 20, and 24 gauge raw copper with some green beads.  It has been antiqued with liver of sulfer.

First Diantha Shawl

This was the first Diantha shawl I knit, and was set up as a mystery knit-along.  The yarn was handspun from a beloved natural gray fleece given to me by my friend Tammy.  The sheep lived in Colonial Beach VA on a small farm.  I spun the yarn and then knit it into this wonderful shawl, with a few pretty beads.  I sent it back to Tammy a couple of weeks ago,  as a surprise gift to her.

Aqua and Copper Peapod Necklace

I finally got around to applying the patina to this necklace.  I am very fond of it.  When I was crafting it, I found that if the torch got too close to the beads, they would shatter!  I think they were not annealed properly, if at all.  I love the organic shape.

Pod Necklace with Green Seeds

Here we have a copper pod necklace I just completed.   It is a little rough but will do for a prototype.  It doesn't quite rest flat on its back so I will have to figure that out.  I do like the heavy copper wire armature from which it hangs.  Fabricated from 24 g copper sheet metal and 16 g copper wire with a few beads for some color.

Playing with Copper

These copper pods were a blast to make even though I may have struggled a bit.  I used 24 g copper sheet and 16 g copper wire with a few assorted beads.  Chains need to be added now.

Freeform Peyote Bracelet #2

This version of freeform peyote was done with Tammy's tutelage and is more open and less solid than my first version. It was incredible fun to make it. I started out with three colors of see beads and added a few other beads, and the focal is a very cute green dragon fly. I added a few leaves and flowers of purple iris which just make the piece pop.

Heavy Metals Necklace

This was a beadsoup mix put together with a modified netting stitch. It was very easy and fairly fast to make. I can't do the colors of these iris beads justice though with my photographs.

Beachcomber Bracelet

I have just learned how to drill holes in shells and beach glass and made this gorgeous summertime bracelet, at Tada's Artisan Boutique at the York River Yacht Haven marina grounds. It jingles merrily when worn!

Freeform Peyote Bracelet

Inspired by some freeform peyote bracelets at Tada, near our boat, I tried my hand at my first one. It was quite a lot of fun, actually, and I am really happy with the results. I was trying not to buy any more beads and to make do with what I have. I wasn't sure at all about the strong contrast of whites and teals, but I think it works. My technique will be a whole lot better the next time.

Baycation Crocheted Necklace

We are in Gloucester Point VA, just across the York River from Yorktown, and there is THE NICEST LITTLE BEAD SHOP you could imagine, right on the marina grounds. I have been there multiple times already! It's called Tada Artisan's Boutique, and Tammy is the owner. Lovely.

So I made the necklace from 26 gauge copper wire and stringing the beads and simply chaining the individual strands.

The oyster shell is from an island off the Little Choptank River and makes a great prop.

Magic Carpet Socks

My friend Perri gave me a kit for these socks from Sanguine Gryphon. (Thanks, Perri.) I just finished them up and they are very fancy and imaginative. The beads and leaf beads add a lot of bling to them.

I started out with size 1 needles over 80 stitches but was not getting gauge, so I switched to 0's. They are quite tight on my feet but still wearable, so maybe I should have used the 1's, at least on the leg sections.

They really are reminiscent of an oriental rug, aren't they?

Tubular Peyote Cuff

This bracelet was started in a class by Amy Katz and uses the tubular peyote technique. I almost went blind making it though, and I doubt if I will be doing such fine beadwork anytime soon, although I really like it. There is much more sparkle than shows in my picture because of all the Swarovski crystals on the bead ends.

Wearin' of the Green Treasure Woven Bracelet

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, coming up soon, I created this green bracelet. The beads are lots of different colors of green, with a few rose colored ones thrown in for some interest. I'm happy with how it turned out!

Jasper Rosary Bracelet

These are my very first saw-cut rings and while it was pretty difficult to do, I like the result, and I think that practice will most definitely help. The beads are 8mm green jasper, and I think they are just lovely with the copper, which will get a patina soon and look better.

Sterling Pin with Beads

This shawl pin is 16 gauge sterling silver with some interesting sterling beads and a lovely olive green lampwork bead. It was alarmingly easy to make, but I did run into a little trouble with the point of the pin snagging while inserting it. I finally tracked down some 0000 steel wool which made all the difference in the world. I had great difficulties trying to capture the true color of the bead and was unable to do so

Kumihimo Necklace with Peyote Bead Focal

This project was a real pain in the neck, and I won't be doing it again. I love the kumihimo part, which was done with #15 seed beads on a fine beading thread. It took a very long time to do, however, and there are a couple of spots where there was no bead. The embroidered peyote bead wasn't fun however. But in a while, I may feel a lot better about the necklace than I do now!